


It’s because he’s Italian, isn’t it?

by cyanspark



Series: History lessons with Professors di Genova and al-Kaysani [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Food, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyanspark/pseuds/cyanspark
Summary: “Everyone thinks Nicky is an expert on cooking, painting, even fashion just because he’s Italian. All he can make is pasta and anything that comes out of a box.”“Habibi,” says Nicky, in a wounded tone that makes Nile laugh, “I also make a perfectly good pesto.”*Or, Nile learns why Nicky doesn’t do the cooking.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: History lessons with Professors di Genova and al-Kaysani [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892506
Comments: 12
Kudos: 277





	It’s because he’s Italian, isn’t it?

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet came about from:
> 
> 1\. A conversation I had with a friend about "okay but what if Joe did the cooking?"  
> 2\. Reading the Wikipedia entry on pesto  
> 3\. [This tumblr post.](https://of-scythia.tumblr.com/post/626169647606153216/okay-but-the-thought-of-nile-or-whoever-being-like)

Four immortal soldiers don’t always have a lot of time to cook, but when they do have some down time between jobs, Nile learns that Joe usually does the cooking.

Nicky always pitches in to help—Andy has long since been voted out of the kitchen—but Nile wouldn’t have expected Joe to be such an amazing chef. He introduces her to lablabi and Tunisian tajine, and his shakshouka becomes one of her new favorite dishes, ever. But he’s also an expert on other cuisines, including Italian.

One evening, during a lull in Joe and Nicky’s dinner-prep banter, she asks why she’s never seen Nicky cook.

Joe and Nicky trade a look. Joe turns his face toward the ceiling as though in exasperation. Nicky looks amused, almost...smug?

“It’s because he’s Italian, isn’t it?” Joe laments.

“Sorry,” Nile says quickly, because she still doesn’t know Joe well enough to tell if he’s genuinely hurt or only teasing.

“Everyone thinks Nicky is an expert on cooking, painting, even fashion just because he’s Italian. All he can make is pasta and anything that comes out of a box.”

“Habibi,” says Nicky, in a wounded tone that makes Nile laugh, “I also make a perfectly good pesto.”

Joe points a finger at him. “Who was it who forgot the basil and used walnuts instead of pine nuts that one time?”

“Son zeneize, you can’t accuse me of messing up pesto!”

Joe snorts out a laugh. At Nile’s confused look, he explains, “Pesto was invented in Genoa.”

Nile blinks. “Ah.”

“And there are plenty of variations on the traditional recipe,” Nicky adds. “Basil wasn’t even used until the mid-nineteenth century.”

Joe rolls his eyes. “In others words, pesto wasn’t technically invented until that point. So don’t believe him when he says he’s an expert on modern Italian cuisine.”

“I am too an expert,” Nicky protests.

“You eat pizza with pineapple on it.”

“What?” Nile gasps. “That should, like, automatically revoke your Italian card.”

“I predate the invention of pizza,” Nicky scoffs, “and I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Pineapple on pizza is delicious.”

“And that,” Joe declares, “is why Nicky doesn’t do the cooking.”

“All right,” Nile says, laughing. “You have me convinced.”

**Author's Note:**

> "Son zeneize" = “I’m Genoese” in Genoese (if Wikipedia is to be believed, and if not, please let me know!)


End file.
